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Angel Tungaraza is living with her husband and grandchildren in a compound in Kigali, Rwanda, where she has a cake-making business she operates out of the family’s apartment kitchen. Angel is frequently privy to her customer’s secrets, and as a “professional somebody,” she knows that she must keep these confidences. But there’s nothing to say that she cannot act to try to help her customers as they negotiate the pitfalls of life, and celebrate the joys of living.
This is a delightful debut novel ...more
This is a delightful debut novel ...more
Jan 04, 2010
Ann
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
family-relationships,
marriage,
culinary,
disease,
cake,
baking-bakeries,
do-gooders,
africa,
genocide,
gentle
Okay, so I know I'm fairly alone in my hatred of all things feel-good, so I feel somewhat bad criticizing this book when there was already so little chance it could win with me. But regardless of that, I thought it was trying way too hard to be charming and meaningful. There's no real plot to this book - it's just little vignettes that are strung together as the main character, Angel, encounters people through her cake business. Angel herself doesn't do much, other than listen to people and give
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This is a sweet little book. It's set in Rwanda after the atrocities. The point of view is a grandmother who runs a cake-baking business. They author uses this viewpoint to examine issues like HIV, politics, women's rights, etc, but in a gentle way that makes the reader feel that they are getting an authentic, wise perspective. I think I'll recommend this one for book clubs. Think "#1Ladies" but better.
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Hard to get into, but enjoyed it in the end. Angel is a bit over-the-top but the stories were interesting and I liked the cakes. A bit sad but also uplifting.
And now for something completely different...very much in the same style as the No. 1 Detective Agency, but with a darker undertone as cake baker Angel's customers tell their stories. But nicely written and very readable.
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A beautifully written and thought provoking book. If you like the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series you'll probably like this.
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Jun 23, 2009
Tracy
marked it as to-read
Nov 09, 2009
Jen
marked it as to-read
Feb 09, 2011
Kim
marked it as to-read
Apr 01, 2011
Lauren
marked it as to-read
Aug 11, 2011
Jocelyn
marked it as to-read
Jun 20, 2013
Denise
marked it as to-read
Mar 03, 2015
Jana
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
brain-expanding-project
Jul 25, 2016
Jess
marked it as to-read
Feb 11, 2018
Chrissie
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2020
Sarah McCauley
marked it as to-read
